1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a liquid crystal module. More specifically, the present invention relates to a liquid crystal module having a back light unit.
2. Background Information
A conventional liquid crystal module includes a liquid crystal panel and a back light unit. The back light unit is disposed on a rear side of the liquid crystal panel. The back light unit has a rear frame, a light guide plate and a lamp reflector assembly. The rear frame houses the light guide plate. The lamp reflector assembly includes a cold cathode tube, a lamp reflector and a plurality of lamp sockets. The cold cathode tube is disposed on an inside of the lamp reflector. The lamp sockets are disposed at both ends of the cold cathode tube. The lamp sockets are fixed to both ends of the lamp reflector. The lamp reflector assembly is inserted between side end faces of the light guide plate and side plates of the rear frame. The lamp reflector is attached and fixed to the rear frame with fasteners (screws). The lamp reflector has fixing holes on upper and lower face plates of the lamp reflector. The lamp sockets have fixing protrusions on upper and lower faces of the lamp socket. The fixing protrusions are fitted into the fixing holes to fix the lamp sockets to the lamp reflector.
With another conventional liquid crystal module, latching protrusions are provided to upper and lower faces of a socket main body (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2006-147435, for example). Latching holes are correspondingly formed in upper and lower face plates at both ends of lamp reflector. The latching protrusions are fitted into the latching holes so that the socket main body is positioned and attached to both ends of the lamp reflector.
Another conventional lighting device for a liquid crystal display unit includes a tubular light source and a reflector (see Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Application No. H4-33076, for example). Annular grooves are formed around an outer periphery of sockets at both ends of the tubular light source. The sockets are inserted into attachment holes formed in the reflector. Peripheral edges of the attachment holes are mated with the annular grooves so that the sockets are positioned and attached to the reflector.
Furthermore, another conventional liquid crystal display device includes two lamp reflectors and a frame (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2005-243485, for example). The lamp reflectors are disposed on adjacent two sides of the liquid crystal display device. Each of the lamp reflectors has a concave component at a corner of the adjacent two sides. The lamp reflectors are fixed to a frame at the same time with a single screw.
Moreover, another conventional liquid crystal display device includes lamp cover and a molded frame (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2001-147422, for example). The lamp cover includes protrusions as an affixing structure. The molded frame includes receiving holes at positions corresponding to the protrusions. The protrusions are passed through the receiving holes, and distal ends of the protrusions are then crimped.
With the above-mentioned conventional liquid crystal module, the lamp sockets are positioned and fixed at the ends of the lamp reflector merely by fitting the lamp sockets to the ends of the lamp reflector, and fitting the fixing protrusions in the fixing holes. Thus, the lamp sockets are prone to misalignment if the fixing protrusions are not securely fitted into the fixing holes during the fixing of the lamp sockets, or if the fixing protrusions come out of the fixing holes after the lamp reflector assembly is installed.
Furthermore, with the above-mentioned conventional liquid crystal module, the lamp reflector assembly is inserted between the side end faces of the light guide plate and the side plates of the rear frame, and the lamp reflector is attached and fixed to the rear frame with the screws. Thus, the threading of the screws leads to lower assembly efficiency and higher cost. Furthermore, maintenance entails more work in replacing the cold cathode tube.
With the lighting device in the above-mentioned Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2006-147435, the socket main body is positioned and attached to the ends of the lamp reflector by fitting the latching protrusions of the socket main body into the latching holes of the lamp reflector. Thus, the socket main body is prone to misalignment.
With the lighting device in the above-mentioned Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Application No. H4-33076, the sockets are inserted in the attachment holes formed in the reflector, and the peripheral edges of the attachment holes are mated with the annular grooves around the outer periphery of the sockets. Thus, attaching the sockets is unsafe and difficult. Furthermore, an attachment structure such as this is unsuited to attaching sockets to ends of a slender lamp reflector having an ordinary open box section shape.
Also, with the liquid crystal display device in the above-mentioned Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2005-243485, the two lamp reflectors are fixed at the same time with a single screw to the frame. While this does reduce the number of screws used, it still entails troubles of threading the screw. Thus, assembly efficiency becomes poor, and maintenance entails more work in replacing lamps.
With the liquid crystal display device in the above-mentioned Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2001-147422, the protrusions are passed through the receiving holes, and the distal ends of the protrusions are crimped to attach the components. Since the crimping has to be performed, assembly efficiency becomes poor and manufacturing cost cannot be reduced. Furthermore, the lamp cover cannot be easily removed during maintenance.
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved liquid crystal module. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.